Review Revue: Pink Floyd – Obscured by Clouds

Hey, wasn’t it summer for a second there? I swear just yesterday it was hot and bright and delightful. Today, once more, the sky is obscured by clouds. Luckily, we have a fitting album for just such an occasion. (Do you see what I did there? That’s called a segue, people. Pro stuff.)

Pink Floyd — arguably one of the most gigantic, successful bands in the history of the universe – released the album Obscured by Clouds in 1972, as a soundtrack to the French film The Valley. This was before Dark Side of the Moon had made the world their b- — um, oyster — but it was the seventh album in the career of a well-respected (if mercurial) band.

As with so many such discussions, this one — taking place fifteen years after the album’s release, and coinciding with the release of Pink Floyd’s antepenultimate album, A Momentary Lapse of Reason — devolved pretty quickly from any kind of actual review of the contents of this LP to a debate on the merits of the band as a whole, or just how much exactly they suck now and when that started. For the record, the bulk of their music was created before I was born, but I personally believe that all of their pre-1980 albums contain some truly excellent music. I’m not very familiar with the post-Waters period, but I’m curious how our friend Creed feels about those records, given his comments below about Waters’s nefarious influence.

“Pink Floyd use to produce some interesting rock pieces. This one’s from 1972 and from the film The Valley. Though post-Syd still pre-poop.”

“But getting mighty close. Dark Side came out after this.”

“Comments like this about this band show how narrow-minded people can be. These guys don’t have a bad song and they are still a great influence on many of today’s artists.”

“Just because a group makes a lot of money people think they’ve sold out. This is narrow mindedness.”

“As a KCMU staffer who has most if not all Pink Floyd LP’s including The Wall & Final Cut I have to agree w/Scott. Since Dark Side Roger Waters has overwhelmingly taken over the controls and the material has become increasingly one-dimensional and narrow-minded. Pink Floyd is truly a dinosaur now and I don’t say that without some serious thought. So there.”

“Interesting. What do you make of Momentary Lapse . . .?”

And there the conversation ends. Well, Creed? What do you make of Momentary Lapse of Reason?

2 Comments

I bailed after “Final Cut.” Can’t say I could name one song from “Momentary Lapse…” But you know, I was on vacation recently and while lunching in a pub, “Pigs(3 Different Ones)” from the Animals lp came over the house sound system and it rocked me pretty good.